Spring catch



Feb. 5, 1946, D. A. MORAND SPRING CATCH Filed June 5, 1944` Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATE s PATENT ,oF-F

SPRING CATGH,

Donald' A. Morand, Portland, Oreg.

AmilicatiomJuneiS, 1944, SerialiNo. 538,723.`

zzcraims. (o1: 29e-12er 'Ihis inventiony relates generally to hardware and particularly to a springcatch.

The mainobject of this invention is to provide a spring catch especiallyV adapted. fori use on caskets, which has. an improved action in that it is smoother in operation andv eliminates: all banging in thev closing ofthe casket. 1

The second objectv is to so construct the catch as to eliminate a large amount of the breakage commonly. occurringirrsuch devices.

The third object is to provide a spring catch which will be made of a minimum number of parts and will be extremely easy to assemble, and when once assembled, it will be so interlocking that it cannot be accidentally disassembled.

The fourth object is to construct a catch of the class described which will be easy to build and in which the parts are so united as to provide the maximum amount of strength with the least amount of stress on the individual members.

The fifth object is to permit the use of a narrow base plate making the device especially adaptable for thin walled and small sized caskets.

The sixth object is to avoid the delay and expense ordinarily occasioned when a catch breaks after a latch is in place.

I accomplish these and other objects in a manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan of the device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 with a portion broken away in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Before entering into an explanation of this invention, it will be understood that these devices are used principally to hold down the covers of caskets and the main advantages arising from their construction are most apparent in connection with this class of containers, although it is obvious that theyA can be used for other purposes as well. The description, therefore, wil1 be limited to the catch itself.

Referring particularly to the invention, same will be seen to consist of a base plate I 0, the major portion of which is circular in form in order that it may be placed in a bored recess and having one straight edge I I, which conforms to the casket cover side. 'I'he usual counter sunk screw holes I2 are provided. In the plate IU is formed arrv opening; lf3 which` ist rectangular in iorm, except.'- that one side; I4 has.V an.v inturned lug` l5- betweenthe: sides I-Bt v Extending; upwardly through the plat-e- I0 is a;- U-shaped, frame; III whose legs I:8': arev somewhat-` wider.` than' the distance .between a. side; I4 and the; opposite sideglB..

The 1 legs,W IB are narrowed? to formthefshoulders 23.. whichs engage the. under. side of the sides.-` |24 ofthefopenin'g |35v Each leg I8 is divided at its upper end, one portion 2| consisting of an ear having a curved side 22, which is an arc struck from the corner 23 at the lower edge of the side I9.

The second portion of the leg I8 constitutes a standard24 whose lower edge 25 is slightly relieved to facilitate the insertion of the legs I 8 into the opening I3. The standards 24 are provided with perforations 26. The portion of the device thus far described is now assembled by inserting the legs I8 into the opening I3 with a rocking motion about the corner 23, after which th projections 2| are bent outwardly as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. It can be seen that while the edge 25 and the projections 2| prevent the frame Il from escaping downwardly, the shoulders 2l)l prevent the upward movement of the frame I1 through theopening I3. It will beA desirable in most instances, to permit the side I9 to extend a short distance into the edges 21 of the frame I1.

Referring now to the movable member of the device, same will be seen to consist of a hook 28 mounted on the lower end of the arm 29, which is pivotally mounted on the rivet 30 which journals in the perforations 25 in the standards 24. The head 3| of the rivet 30 is somewhat enlarged and spaced from the nearest standard 24 to receive one turn 32 of a special spring 33, whose end 34 curves over the lever 35, which is integral with the arm 29, A handle I36 of any desired shape is provided on the lever 35. The pin 3U has its end 3l flattened to complete the assembly. There is indicated in dotted lines the position of the latch plate 38, which forms no part of the present invention.

Fromv the foregoing it will be noted that there is provided an extremely strong and yetv easily operated latch, the ultimate success of which is dependent to a large measure upon the details of construction set forth in the following claims.

The end 39 of the spring 33 rests upon and is free to slide on the plate I0.

While I have thus illustrated and described my invention, it is not my desire to be limited to the precise form shown herein, and I intend to cover such forms and modifications of the inventionY as fall fairly within the appended claims.

I claim: 1.1 In a device of the class described, thecombination of a base plate having a rectangular with' said flattened side'and provided wiens 1 projection extendingV into said rectangular openopening formed therethrough, one side of which Y has an inwardly'extending projection, a U-shaped frame having the open ends thereof made nar-y rower at one point to permit the entry thereof into said rectangularvopening onveitherrside of said inturnedfprojection', the portions ofsaid U- Vshaped frame above said plate being divided to form fasteningears and standards, said fasten-ft ingrears having Vone Yside curved, an arcstruck from arcenter zdisposed at the lower edgelof the' Y oppositeV side of the hole in whichA the U-shaped frame is disposed, said standards having shoulders formed thereon adapted to-engagevthe top side of said plate; arpin passing throughsaid a' standards having its head spaced from the adjaf bearing upon said operating lever;v Y

' 2. A spring catch of the class describedhaving a circularv base, one' side of which' is flattened and having a rectangular opening formed therecent sidev thereof, catchY hook hinged on said Y rivet,s'aid 'catch hookjhaving an operating lever,Y Y Y I a springV coiled about the spaced end of said rivet," Y said spring having o ne end thereof bearing upon ysaid plate l and the other end thereofr slidably through, one side of said 'opening'being parallel 30 ing,v a U-shaped frame disposedV on the under side Y offsaid plate and formed of flat materialI the Width of said frame exceeding the width of said rectangular opening in adirection normal to said flat side, a portion'of Yeach side of said frame beingV narrowedV to permit same to occupy one side,V Y of said rectangular opening, the sides of said rectangular opening beingspaced Ybyl said'inturned f projection, the Vportion1of`j`said standards conwardly to form a fastening means, said U-shaped thereof, said standards having a rivet extending Y Y therethrough, a latch hook pivotally suspended from said rivet, a lever on said latch hook adapt- 'ed' to; move said hook, and a coil spring wound Y Yon'one end of said rivet between its head andthe adjacent standard Vand 'having one end of the spring sldably engaging said base plateiandhaving the other end of said spring slidably engaging thetop side of said lever whereby a rocking movement of said lever willY producefa movement of said spring thereon. y

sliding DONA@ A MOMUND-` f 

